He was still upset with himself.
She changed tactics, going for broke with a dirty joke. “Besides, you just fed me a three-course meal, tiger. I’m stuffed.”
“Lani,” he groaned, shaking his head. She knew half of her words probably went over his head. But he caught her meaning. And at least he drew in a deep breath.
“Oh come on, that was funny,” she said, pushing his shoulder playfully.
His shoulders sagged and he stroked his fingers down her cheek, through the wet tips of her hair. “You are a very peculiar female.”
“But you like me, don’t you?” she teased.
“Tev,” he growled. “Very much. I may just keep you.”
She raised a brow as if to say ‘oh really?’
“You okay now?” she asked, giving him another moment to calm down.
“Only after I feed you,” he answered.
She sighed.
“Hop to it, then. Go order your female some take-out.”
Chapter Twenty-Three
Something warm and heavy was wrapped around her stomach and Lainey smiled sleepily, emerging from one of the deepest of sleeps she’d ever had the next morning.
Blinking, she realized it was just slightly after sunrise. A quick peek out the windows showed the beautiful colors creeping across the sky, though Lainey knew the suns were rising on the other side of the hill.
Turning over, she saw that Kirov was just waking too. Her movements must’ve jostled him a bit and he purred, his arm going a little tighter around her waist, bringing her closer.
“Hi,” she whispered, snuggling into him. Kirov was a good cuddler, she’d discovered, and while she felt a little shy that morning, still getting used to the fact that she would be sharing his bed, she never wanted to leave it.
It was amazingly comfortable and the furs were the softest she’d ever felt. During the ‘cold season,’ as Kirov had called it, Lainey could just imagine snuggling under the furs with him, keeping warm and having fun doing it.
Her breath hitched. Already, she was thinking so far into the future that she honestly didn’t know whether to be frightened or excited. Everything was still so new between them, but there was no denying that Kirov had already claimed a portion of her heart…and she was a little put off since she didn’t knowhoworwhenit had even happened.
“A dream,” he rasped, his lazy gaze tracking over her face. Sleepy Kirov? Crazy sexy. He made a groaning sound in the back of his throat and murmured, “I never want to leave these furs.”
“Then don’t,” she whispered.
Last night had been…wonderful. After Kirov had ordered her some food and shaken off a bit of his guilt for leaving her so long, he had put her in his lap and fed her her dinner.
And there she’d been…freshly bathed, naked under a fur throw he’d wrapped around her body, sitting in her male’s lap in the living room with a fire going, with the stars and the moon shining through the windows and the sound of the quiet lake coming through invisible speakers, being fed an amazing dinner of tender, fall-off-the-bone meat and seasoned white roots that tasted like carrots marinated in butter.
Yeah, last night had probably been one of the most romantic nights of her life. They’d been quiet as he’d fed her and with any other guy, Lainey would’ve balked at being fed. But with Kirov, everything was different.Everything. He fed her because he wanted to care for her, because heneededto see her satisfied and happy.
Lainey could handle that.
And it had been strangely…erotic. He’d watched her as she chewed and if a drop of the marinade landed on her lips, he’d lick it off before she could.
Needless to say, it had made them both very, very…ravenous.
Kirov made sure she ate until she was stuffed and then he carried her—bridal style—up to his—their—bedroom, where he’d immediately ripped off the fur blanket, pushed her naked body back onto the bed, and promptly, well…eatenher.
Three goddamn times.Three orgasms and he’d finally given her a reprieve. And when she reached down to return the favor, he grabbed her hand, told her to go to sleep, and snuggled her until she did just that.
So yeah, last night had been pretty amazing so it was no wonder that Lainey woke up with a gigantic smile on her face the following morning.
